I'm investigating ways I can use existing stuff I have to make a keyed steering lock for my bikes/trikes, to lock the wheels in a position that isn't really rideable (theft deterrent).
I've looked around at the various posts with the term in them, but there isn't a whole lot already on ES, and most of it is discussion of existing bikes with it on there (done in ways I don't really have the parts for, AFAICS).
One way, really simple, but also easily defeated, is to weld on a couple of tabs with holes in them for a padlock, then lock the padlock's U thru them. But anybody with cutters or angle grinder could get to it and thru it as fast as I could unlock it with the key, just about.
Something that is embedded inside the frame itself would be better, so that to defeat it you'd have to damage the bike (perhaps in an unrideable way). But off the top of my head, I can't think of one that's simple enough to implement using bits and pieces I already have, or could get really cheap.
One way that might work but could probably be broken easily enough, unless I have a good long thick steel rod (I might) is to use a cabinet lock with a long tab on it's rotating mechanism, and drill the tab to be a pivot point for a tab on the end of that rod. There'd be a hole (lined up with the toptube, at whatever angle the fork would be locked at) thru the steering tube and headtube that the rod would slide into when locked.
The cabinet lock would go in the side of the toptube or downtube, and be gorilla-glued in place (cuz I can't thiink of a way to put the nut on the inside, unless I cut the tube and then weld a patch over it when done).
One disadvantage of this system is that the rod'll rattle around inside the frame tube during riding, unless I first cut the tube open and weld in some guides that it snugly fits into near each end of the rod. Probably can't use plastic or foam guides inserted in, cuz I'll probably have to cut and weld the tube to get them in there, so they'd melt.
I had a few other partial ideas, but they all seemed dumb even to me. :lol:
OH, and this post
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39877&p=588153&hilit=+steering+lock+#p588153
shows a steering lock on a dirt bike from the early 1970s, along with a brand new lock that came with a Fusin geared hub kit for review and test, but no explanation on the lock's purpose, and it fits nothing else in teh kit. I'd try to use that lock, but at this point after the fire and subsequent events I don't even know if I still *have* it.
I've looked around at the various posts with the term in them, but there isn't a whole lot already on ES, and most of it is discussion of existing bikes with it on there (done in ways I don't really have the parts for, AFAICS).
One way, really simple, but also easily defeated, is to weld on a couple of tabs with holes in them for a padlock, then lock the padlock's U thru them. But anybody with cutters or angle grinder could get to it and thru it as fast as I could unlock it with the key, just about.
Something that is embedded inside the frame itself would be better, so that to defeat it you'd have to damage the bike (perhaps in an unrideable way). But off the top of my head, I can't think of one that's simple enough to implement using bits and pieces I already have, or could get really cheap.
One way that might work but could probably be broken easily enough, unless I have a good long thick steel rod (I might) is to use a cabinet lock with a long tab on it's rotating mechanism, and drill the tab to be a pivot point for a tab on the end of that rod. There'd be a hole (lined up with the toptube, at whatever angle the fork would be locked at) thru the steering tube and headtube that the rod would slide into when locked.
The cabinet lock would go in the side of the toptube or downtube, and be gorilla-glued in place (cuz I can't thiink of a way to put the nut on the inside, unless I cut the tube and then weld a patch over it when done).
One disadvantage of this system is that the rod'll rattle around inside the frame tube during riding, unless I first cut the tube open and weld in some guides that it snugly fits into near each end of the rod. Probably can't use plastic or foam guides inserted in, cuz I'll probably have to cut and weld the tube to get them in there, so they'd melt.
I had a few other partial ideas, but they all seemed dumb even to me. :lol:
OH, and this post
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39877&p=588153&hilit=+steering+lock+#p588153
shows a steering lock on a dirt bike from the early 1970s, along with a brand new lock that came with a Fusin geared hub kit for review and test, but no explanation on the lock's purpose, and it fits nothing else in teh kit. I'd try to use that lock, but at this point after the fire and subsequent events I don't even know if I still *have* it.